How do you feel about Weighted Blankets???

Okay special needs community…I need your opinions and advice. Do you use a weighted blanket with your child? Does it really help?

I had an “Ah HA” moment last night while watching Jay go through his nightly routine of piling on 4 blankets, a billion pillows, truck loads of stuffed animals, and just about everything else but the kitchen sink. My son craves the weight. Just to confirm this I asked him.

ME: “Jay why do you put all that stuff on top of you?”

Jay: “It feels good. I like the feeling of being way under it.”

Me: “You mean you like the weight of it.?”

Jay: “Yeah that’s it mom, exactly! Wow you really do know me.”

And he smiled and went deep into his cocoon.

I feel so guilty. How can I put this kid to bed every night and never ever have figured this out?

Then I started thinking about Gracie, my so-called TYPICAL Child. She has a horrible time getting to sleep and staying asleep. In fact she sleep walks sometimes. Would a weighted blanket help her?

Not knowing much about these things I went on-line. The first thing I saw was the PRICE! Holly Guacamole Bat Man!

But… if they work and will help my children… it would be worth it. A good nights sleep is priceless in this house.

So my question to you all again is this:

Have you or do you use a weighted blanket with your child/children? Does it make a huge difference? Would you recommend it?

I had never heard of it before. It actually made sense after reading a little more about it. Did you see the site I list below? It has lots of interesting information. It talks about DPTS (Deep pressure touch stimulation) and what chemicals it releases in the body that helps the body (calming mediator & happy stimulation). Perhaps the phrase “getting up on the wrong side of the bed” refers to the lack of both those chemicals during your sleep. The site also referenced the proper amount of weight to be used in a blanket (not the same for everyone & it changes). It also mentioned it helps people who suffer from restless leg syndrome which is interesting to know (I know people who suffer). I didn’t go through all the tabs yet. I read through “how do they work” & “who do they help” (the list is unbelievable) & touched on some of the other tabs. Here’s the link for DreamCatcher Weighted Blankets: http://www.weightedblanket.net/faq.htm

It may even be covered by insurance.

It also referenced Sleep2009 Melatonin for kids with Autism.

Jamie hates blankets – always kicking them off. She would probably hate having one. On the other hand, it might give me peace of mind. One never knows.

As a therapist, we endorse the deep pressure stim for those with sensory issues. Even in the neo natal unit, I remember being told to touch Sage firmly because he would respond the the deeper touch more favorably than to light touch. I also recall a fight with my father in law over the way he touched the baby – not with the pressure. The RNs used a weighted blanket on the babies too. Jay is intuitive to his needs and resourceful enough to fulfill them without needing to spend the Big Bucks. That works out for all of you.

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As an Aspergian adult, I can attest that weighted blankets are fantastic. When I feel anxious, I get a huge urge to hide under something very heavy, and the pressure of being rolled up in a blanket (kind of like an adult swaddle) or covered in as much weight as I can pile on comforts me enormously. I’m even making a weighted blanket for my infant son – we don’t know if he’s on the spectrum or not yet, but he certainly sleeps a lot better with us pressing down on him with our hands. You’re a great mom for noticing that your son would benefit from the sensory aid.

It’s probably a little late for this now, but I figured I’d add my two cents just in case. I have Asperger’s and crave pressure/weight to regulate my proprioceptive system (the part of the brain that tells you where your body is in space). I’ve been looking into weighted blankets recently, and you’re right that they are expensive. The cheapest ones I’ve found online come from beanblanket.com, and the fleece ones (the cheapest material available) run from $49 for a lap pad to $120 for an 18 lb blanket. You determine the weight by dividing your son’s weight by 10 and adding one pound, so if he weighs 50 pounds say, you’d need a 6 pound blanket. If you’re any good at sewing, you can make one yourself for half the price of buying one. There are instructions all over youtube, and you can find the necessary polyfill beads to weight it with at Michael’s craft store or online.